Suspect shot down in city drug raid

national August 25, 2012 00:00

By Khanathit Srihirundaj,
Piyanu

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Police yesterday shot dead a drug suspect during an operation to stop the transport of 1.5 million methamphetamine tablets into inner Bangkok. The shipment could have fetched Bt450 million on the street.

Suthi Suwanyusiri, 36, sustained six gunshot wounds and succumbed just outside the townhouse where the cache was found.

“When he saw police, he jumped out of the house and opened fire,” Pol Maj-General Suraphon Tuantong said in his capacity as deputy chief of the National Police Office’s Narcotics Suppression Bureau.

His accomplice, Sittichai Krudtiang, did not try to flee or fight back. Also present in the house were Sitthichai’s wife, their child and another young relative.

“I am paid Bt20,000 each time I help him [Suthi] by driving a drug-loaded car to a destination,” Sittichai said. “I’ve done it many times before.”

Suraphon said police had been monitoring the duo’s movements for a month and it was clear they were engaged in drug trafficking.

In the wee hours of yesterday, Suthi drove a pickup truck to the rented townhouse where Sittichai was staying.

Sittichai got into the truck and headed for the Pattavikorn Market, where he got out and jumped into another vehicle that was loaded with the illicit drugs and had its engine running.

“Sittichai then drove the Jeep back to his house and started hiding the methamphetamine tablets when we decided to move in,” Suraphon said.

National Police Commissioner General Priewphan Damapong said this huge amount of methamphetamine tablets came from the North and they were about to be sold in inner Bangkok.

“Available evidence suggests that this gang is linked to drug traffickers in the Klong Toei area,” he said.

Sittichai said he met Suthi at Khao Prik Prison in Nakhon Ratchasima, where they were both serving jail terms.